Chapter 8

Gregor's POV

We had just woken up after a long day of flying, and I could hear Luxa and Sydney arguing over which was the best way to go.

"I still think it would be best if we just continued down this tunnel with Rip smelling out the other shorter tunnels. That way we won't waste too much time!"

"Well I think we should just go explore each tunnel or cave. Why? So we may be able to determine wither the Dark One has been there or not!"

"Rip could smell that!"

"I still don't think that's a good idea."

"What about you guys? What do you think we should do?" Sydney questioned us.

"I think we should go with Sydney's idea." Howard said.

"Of course you would. I think we should to. It's easier, and it's faster. We don't need to waste time with the Dark One out there." I answered.

Luxa glared at me, strode over to Aurora, and mounted her. We all mounted up and with Sydney in the lead we flew down the tunnel.

It was my turn to ride on Nike so Howard and I talked and stuff, when suddenly we stopped and the bats landed on a ledge.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"Ssshhh! He's in there!" Sydney whispered and pointed to the cave entrance next to the ledge we were on.

"Let's get him then!"

"We need a plan of action!" Big Ripred said.

"Right so what's the plan?"

"The plan is that Ripred will go in first on the ground and then we'll follow on the bats." Luxa answered.

We mounted up. Luxa on Aurora, Howard on Nike, and Me, Sydney, and Little Ripred on Cleves.

We flew in swords drawn fighting to get in close range with the thing. It was huge! He was black with long pointed spines every where on his back. His eyes were red and full of hatred. Cleves pulled up out of reach of his deadly spines.

"We're not going to be able to do this with both of us on Cleves!" I said to Sydney.

"Yes we can! Don't you dare jump off!"

Too late, I was already gone, rager sense in full gear. This way I was able to get closer, and I had a better target with Sydney out of the way.

"Ripred no!" Sydney screamed.

"Don't worry I've got him!" Luxa yelled. Sydney sighed with relief, and I turned back to the beast in front of me.

I got in a couple of good hits when he knocked me over with his paw, making me skid toward the edge of the cave when I felt my legs go over the side! I quickly grabbed the ledge and held on for dear life.

"Help!" I called.

"I'm coming Gregor!" I heard Luxa answer.

She flew over on Aurora and reached for my outstretched hand. But the beast shot one of its many spines at them. It hit Aurora on the side of her wing and Luxa and Ripred were knocked off.

Every one tuned toward us, allowing the Dark One to escape down the tunnel.

"Luxa! No!" I screamed as I fell onto Aurora.

"Ripred!" Sydney screeched behind me, "Ripred." She whispered.

We landed and counted our losses. Sydney was taking it the hardest she slid off Cleves' back and sat on a ledge looking down below her. She sat there for a while without moving, until finally a single tear slipped down her cheek.

I saw her moving her lips slowly and stopped watching. Ripred had been her best friend, her safe harbor. I could see why she was taking it so hard.

I looked at Aurora; she had lost her bond and was taking it almost as hard as me.

Howard went over to Sydney and put his arm around her but she shrugged him off.

I thought about all I had lost, all my friends. Luxa, Ares, Tick, Little Ripred, but mostly Luxa.

I had thought I had lost her once in the tunnels, and twice when I'd left. Now I had no hope of getting her back.

Someone came over and sat beside me, it was Sydney.

"I'm not going to tell you it's going to be ok, 'cause you probably don't want to hear that right now. I know what it's like losing someone that close to you. Not just with Ripred but with Peter and Jonny.

"They were my favorite brothers, their parents died in a car wreck. Do you remember that really bad one that happened about ten years ago?" I nodded, "Their parents were killed in that."

I didn't say any thing so she continued, "Peter was five and Jonny was about seven months old. We grew up and did every thing together, although sometimes it was just me and Peter. Well about six months ago Peter got adopted he was fifteen. I still saw hi at work and at school.

"About a week before you guys found me he died the same way as his parents. I was crushed, I didn't want to do any thing or talk to any body, but I did. I had to because I was the oldest, and so many needed to be comforted, especially Jonny.

"The next week a couple days before you guys found me Jonny was adopted. I didn't want him to go, but was glad to see he had found a family. I know I'm never going to see him again, he moved to Washington."

I sat there thinking, I remembered on the ride back to the house that when we passed the cemetery I saw a tear slip down her cheek, and that was why.

"You sound as if you've done this a thousand times, like you know what I'm thinking. You're right about the part about not wanting to be told its ok."

"That's because I have done it a thousand times. And I know that if I were you or them or anybody I wouldn't want to be told its ok when it's obviously not!"

I looked up to see that she was crying. "You're crying."

"Ya, I know. It's just really hard to talk about."

We sat there like that for what seemed like an hour when Sydney said, "You know it's ok to cry, I've seen boy's your age cry, and they were as tough as you."

I didn't respond but felt the hot tears slowly start falling down my cheeks. The numbness was starting to consume my body. I could hear the others talking but I didn't care I couldn't feel anything. What was left of the warrior is now an empty shell.

"We must leave." I heard Ripred say quietly.

"Can't you see he's grieving?" Sydney exclaimed.

"Do our lives not matter? We must leave now!"

"Whatever was left of the warrior before is now gone. He can't go on like this."

"But he must! The Dark One is still out there."

I stood quietly, turned to them, and spoke, "He's right." They all turned to me, "We need to leave now. I want revenge on the Dark One."

We stopped in front of a smaller tunnel and Sydney slid off Cleves' back started feeling the wall like she was looking for something.

The bats were tired and they huddled together as soon as Howard and I slid dismounted. Ripred plopped on the floor beside them.

"What are you doing?" Howard asked Sydney.

"Looking for the stone…Yes! I knew this was tunnel." Howard and I exchanged looks. "Come on guys we're almost there. We can't rest now any way's their scouts will take us prisoner."

We were about to mount up when Sydney said, "Wait! The tunnel is to small, we'll have to walk." The bat's exchanged uneasy glances, "Don't worry its short."

We trudged through the tunnel with Sydney in the lead and Ripred taking up the rear.

The tunnel wasn't as long as I thought it would be but Sydney advised us not to mount up. We walked for about a mile while the bats flew above us, when somebody said, "Halt who goes there?"